Topic: '72 CB450 Restoration Thread (GoManGO!)

[Stev-o]

That looks pretty good motojaeck nice find!

+1.  It's a CL, right?

[MoMo]

Made an account just to join in this thread, nice progress so far! Just picked up my first '73 450 to dive into but have no idea what I'm doing. Any hints for a newbie? It runs roughly of course, I'll try to get a couple more pictures up.

Does not look rough from the photo.  Do a full service and ride it.  Also,  start a thread in other bikes.  and welcome...Larry

[Carver]

CB with CL pipes. you can tell by the seat bars tank and front wheel. those pipes are probably worth as much as i paid for my 450. good find.

[motojaeck]

CB with CL pipes. you can tell by the seat bars tank and front wheel. those pipes are probably worth as much as i paid for my 450. good find.

This. Guy before me said he put the pipes on, I've heard you should rejet the carbs after putting new pipes on? Not sure if this is true or not. Working on getting rust outta the tank right now. Changed the oil and put new tires and brakes on it. Bike wants to stall whenever I come to a stop though. 
Sorry for hijacking your thread fendersrule! 

[cheftuskey121]

Woah great timing. I am looking to get a 1970 cb450 to restore for my dad. It's his 50th birthday in August and I want to restore one in candy blue/green like my 750k1. He used to have a blue green cb450 and figured it would be the gift/surprise of a lifetime. Hoping to get the whole family involved to help with costs and planning the surprise unveiling. I will be following this thread like a hawk, and asking many questions in te coming months. Hope you don't mind, I am only familiar with the 750s

[Carver]

Its a mostly simple to understand engine. Theres 30 miles of cam chain and it doesn't use valve springs so it's unusual in that sense.

[MoMo]

Its a mostly simple to understand engine. Theres 30 miles of cam chain and it doesn't use valve springs so it's unusual in that sense.

30 miles?  LOL  It does have to be the longest cam chain ever. Larry

[Carver]

i MIGHT be exaggerating, only a little bit though.

[fendersrule]

Motojack:

You will need to re-jet to my understanding if the CL pipes are used. My recommendations is to see what jets the CL450 used and to install those in your carbs. Doing a full service is also recommended by looking at the cam chain tensioner, valves, and the points/timing.

Another option, which is what I would personally do, is sell the CL pipes for a very high dollar, and get the proper CB pipes.

[FuZZie]

Motojack:

You will need to re-jet to my understanding if the CL pipes are used. My recommendations is to see what jets the CL450 used and to install those in your carbs. Doing a full service is also recommended by looking at the cam chain tensioner, valves, and the points/timing.

Another option, which is what I would personally do, is sell the CL pipes for a very high dollar, and get the proper CB pipes.

I don't know about putting the original pipes back on that one. I really like all original best but with the stained tank and all the loving knee wear.... 
Think I'd like some mild street/tracker tires, everything working, then let me see if I can finish wearing the paint off the sides of that tank! 

[Carver]

Sell the CL pipes and get a hooker 2-1 high mount exhaust. super hard to find and super nice.

[MoMo]

quote author=Carver link=topic=124861.msg1485363#msg1485363 date=1387501092]
Sell the CL pipes and get a hooker
[/quote]



fixed it  ...larry

[Stev-o]

Sell the CL pipes and get a hooker

fixed it  ...larry

Ha!





Fixed

[FuZZie]

Sell the CL pipes and get a hooker

fixed it  ...larry

just needs the  " [ " in front of the word quote stev-o.

[fendersrule]

Got an exciting text from my painter this weekend. He's finally going to start painting this week. Panels have been finished and been in his shop since October.

[FuZZie]

Good stuff! 

[Bill/BentON Racing]

Yeh, keep us posted. The 450 was King of Honda's from 65-68! I wish I hadn't had to sell my cherry '72. Sold it 2-3 years ago with 4015m on it! Had a NOS proper color tank on it. Honda had 3 on the shelf still in 1992. Color? Red long gone, it was the brown one! 

[fendersrule]

I hear you guys. Still waiting, so apparently he hasn't got to it yet. But my spidy-senses are telling me I will get a call anytime now.

In the mean time I need to adjust my new roller steering bearings and do some wiring clean up. I'm also looking for a new left muffler, but may wind up just cleaning mine and putting it back on.

Not having a rear fender installed really keeps me from doing a lot of work, such as installing the chain. I "could" install the chain, but I'd have to take the tire right back off to get the rear fender on. Doing things in the easiest way possible which means less progress along the way, but a lot of progress when it counts.

[fendersrule]

CB with CL pipes. you can tell by the seat bars tank and front wheel. those pipes are probably worth as much as i paid for my 450. good find.

This. Guy before me said he put the pipes on, I've heard you should rejet the carbs after putting new pipes on? Not sure if this is true or not. Working on getting rust outta the tank right now. Changed the oil and put new tires and brakes on it. Bike wants to stall whenever I come to a stop though. 
Sorry for hijacking your thread fendersrule! 

Hey, no sweat. More 450s the merrier. If you ever get tired of that bike, you know where to sell it.

[fendersrule]

Wish I had more to update, but my painter is still slacking.

I've now fully done all I can do until I get the panels. As I've mentioned, I could fit on the chain and do some other stuff, but it's more work that way since the tire has to come right back off in order to get the fender on.

Here's what I've done over the weekend:

1) Cleaned and polished the left exhaust pipe. JB welded a hole in the muffler. Will keep my eyes out for a fantastic condition CB450 muffler, but the left sides usually always have corrosion.
2) Adjusted the steering bearings.
3) Installed the headlight and got most of the wiring in place and organized.

[Stev-o]

Hey Fenders - is the clutch cable routed properly? Thought it should go though the same area as the other two??

[fendersrule]

I'm not sure why Bill deleted his response, but what he said: the cable is routed correctly. The only thing that actually goes through the center part is the throttle cable. I actually have the braided master cylinder hose going through it, which I may reverse.

I tried putting the clutch through it, but it didn't look right, believe it or not. Made it all look too bunched.

[fendersrule]

Got a phone call from painter. Mission launched. Heading over tomorrow to confirm a paint chip. Going to do the whole matching thing, so I hope it's close. I believe we're going to be looking in a PPG book. Hopefully we can find a tangerine orange that's close.

[Stev-o]

Dirtbike Don is back selling paint kits....


http://www.vintagehondapaint.com

[fendersrule]

Think I got something good. I wounded up picking a PPG Tangerine Orange "Mango" that's a candy flake. We matched the silver on the SL350 which should be identical to "Cloud" Silver.